ABI proposes radical rethink for young drivers

Learn for a year? It wouldnt change a single thing, its just a ridiculous thing to say. Aside from 17 year old insurance being over £2500, they think learning for a year will be best? How much will that cost? once every week at £20 a go totalling £1040. If they say you must take 2 lessons a week, thats £2040.

Excluding your test fee and theory test fee. I had 16 lessons in 2008 before I was put in for my test. had another 6 lessons waiting and passed first time with 2 minors. I paid £16.50 a lesson which cost me £300 as I got a deal.

How on earth are you suppose to afford driving lessons for a year? Just utterly ludicrous. Why? Because your still not bloody allowed on the motorway. Your going to still drive the same local test routes over and over and over. Your not going to learn anything more than if you do what I did and pass in 3 months because once your able to to do your maneouveurs in one place, you can do them in any place. Let alone having a 'year' of lessons doesnt get you a no claims bonus either.

From my perspective, I passed when I was 17, not had an accident, ive upgraded my car each year of driving, from a 1996 punto, to a 2001 megane, to a 2006 C4 coupe and now I currently own a Mazda RX8 231. Ive got my Pass Pluss, im about to take my Institute of Advanced Motorists IAM qualification, and I also hold Proffessional HGV Class 1 and Class 2 driving licences.

Still my Insurance is bloody £1500 for the 2.6/1.3 rotary RX8. Its ridiculous. The only way to bring insurance down is to get rid of all this ficticious whiplash claims, and restrict 17-20 year olds cars with black boxes so that they cant do over 75mph and they shouldnt be allowed to modify their cars. Stop the boy racer culture which is just stupid.

You cant change someones mind set on driving.  

Everyone learns to drive once they past a test as with road holding and the physics of handling.  We dont drive at speed on the test nor whilst learning nor do we learn what happens when you blow a tyre or snatch the wheel at speed.  How many 4-5 teens are killed a year in the mates small hatchback? They have no concept that a fully loaded car performs differently, handles badly and shouldnt be driven at high speed.  The braking is reduced and suspension can behave oddly.

Youngsters need a second test following the first to explain how a car reacts in snow, ice, heavy rain and the science of car design.  The roads are too busy today to learn by trial and error as you will end up dead.  This was what us older people learnt after our tests but there were less cars around then.

CARS ARE DANGEROUS!  Perhaps the insurers should subsidise this secondary learning in exchange for lower insurance?

How about this, for the first 2 years new drivers can not.

-Have pillion passengers unless its a parent/s

97% of young people like to show off to mates when they have just past their tests, this leads to them taking more risks to "impress" there friends and puts more people in danger.

-Can not drive after 9pm at night for the first 6 months

This should get them off the road when they are more interested in going out and showing off to their mates *see above* and should encourage them to drive during the day to "learn" correctly

-for the first 2 years, all new drivers should be limited (and not by insurance) to a vehicle limited to 70mph, and a 1,1 litre engine, once the 2 years is up, they can then get the vehicle they wish to own with no limit, and not be limited to a specific engine size.

As I see it, the problem is that new drivers are taught to pass the test rather than taught to drive. My son and daughter were taught to drive by me. They also had an instructor who like me was a motor sport enthusiast, and he taught them to drive according to conditions and read the road ahead , not just how to get through the test!!